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Should I Date While Traveling Solo?!

I could go on and on telling you many reasons why you should date while traveling solo. It’s an incredibly romantic way to explore the city, a chance at meeting “the one,” try something new, blah, blah, blah. But each experience is unique. Ultimately, the decision starts with instinct. You know that mysterious gut feeling, sixth sense, subtle clue–whatever the hell want to call it, trust and follow it!

After waiting too many years for my friends to take a dream vacation with me to Italy, it was time to venture solo.

On my first day in the magical city of Venice, while wandering the narrow cobblestone streets and listening to Sade’s The Sweetest Taboo on my iPod, I bumped into a Gabriele, a tall handsome, model-esque Italian man from Rome, Italy.

He asked if I wanted to go to lunch; I quickly said “yes.” We dined on pasta and wine, shared great conversation and spent the remainder of the afternoon getting lost amongst the city’s beautiful bridges and canals.

Hands down, this was the best impromptu thing I’d ever done. Not to mention, Gabriele was a sexy piece of @#$!

Eventually, he asked me to accompany him to his hotel so that we could explore the other side of the city. I can’t really describe that annoying little feeling that made me say “No.” It came so suddenly even I was shocked. Following my instinct, I thanked him for a wonderful day and we never spoke again.

Looking back, I’m still shocked I agreed to a spontaneous date. Especially with someone outside of my race (that’s another post y’all). And, while traveling solo in a destination totally foreign to me. Would I do it again? Heck yeah!

My solo journeys have helped me figure out who I am as a traveler and a woman. There’s something mysteriously fascinating about being whisked away on a romantic date by a handsome stranger while away on vacation. But before you go venturing off, here are some tips to keep in mind:

Be aware of the culture around you. Many countries have a distorted view of American women.

Respect the local dress code.

Ignore cat-calls (I wish I could assume we are beyond responding to this degrading immature behavior).

Never let me someone know where you are staying.

E-mail, text or call a friend (or even hotel staff) and give them the details of your outing.

Don’t drink too much.

Meet at an open, well-populated location and don’t get in a car.

Don’t feel bad about being a little dishonest. It’s okay if this person thinks you’re a part of a group and just taking break for the next couple of hours.

One more thing. There’s nothing quite like falling in love. Believe me I’ve done this love thing one too many times. But predators can sense desperation; so safely enjoy the moment. If it’s meant to be, it’ll be.

What do you think about dating while traveling solo? How do you handle the safety issue?

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4 Responses to Should I Date While Traveling Solo?!

Wow Kandia you really struck a chord with this topic! We should get together and compare stories…
Meeting a stranger on the fly is always crazy romantic and sexy (James Bond anyone?), but I always feel safer meeting someone through a friend. That way, he will definitely feel somewhat more accountable. He knows he’ll get handled if he makes a wrong move lol!

Lol I am always game for getting together to share “war stories.” I definitely agree about meeting someone through a friend. The impromptu date is just something that everyone should safely get out of their system at least once in a lifetime !

Dare to live Kandia!! A romantic date in Italy sounds lovely, and I like that you offer some strong advice around being observant and carrying yourself in the right way. There are some princes but also lots of frogs!!